Stories of Saffi
by Gaius Sensei
Summary: Six years have passed since Dalamud's Fall and the Battle of Cartenau. A former Scion named Saffi Eriksdotter regales the youth of Limsa Lominsa of the adventures of her comrades.
1. Chapter 1

It was almost dawn, and the biggest port of Eorzea was bustling with activity. Limsa Lominsa, the City of Sails, is slowly waking up. Everywhere you look, stalls are being opened and wares are being hawked, the early fishing ships are returning home and the ever present children are playing around and running about.

Well, most of the children are.

In a small patch of grass in Mist, the residential district of the great port-city, a group of bright eyed children are beginning to gather. There was a tree in the middle of them, and under its crown of leaves is my carpet. There were children of all races and ages around the tree when I arrived. I brought nothing but a small hunting knife and a linkpearl, and wore an immaculate white cowl.

As I approached my favorite tree, several of my "audience" ran up to me with happy smiles and greetings.

"G'morning Lady!" said a young boy. His parents were of Maelstrom's Command, as I was. The then-young couple were there when the Candlekeep Quay was besieged by a host of thanalan mites. One of the arcane assessors who was stuck at Candlekeep sang about the couple's valor for weeks afterwards. I thought about telling the boy's parent's story as I waved back, but maybe at a later time.

Near my small carpet, I noticed a shy girl- nay, a budding teen. She was one of the first here, for she's at one of coveted spots near me, but she avoids my gaze. I know of her mother, a Lancer of the Order. Alone in the shroud, she hunted a particularly aggressive scarred antelope, armed only with her trusty lance and a sparhawk egg soup as bait. A fine story, but not for today.

Several children tried to give me trinkets- of course I refused, but some are really adamant. A boy tried to give me a pair of expertly crafted cactuar earrings. I know of his dad- it seems that the thaumaturge is taking up goldsmithing as a hobby, and is apparently teaching his child too. The old veteran once tried to ambush a troop of Amalj'aa near Uldah, and ended up almost being sacrificed to the Lord of the Inferno himself! But he was not alone at the time- four of my colleagues, four of the Scions was at hand. Master Thancred himself, a veteran of Cartenau, was nearby. Ifrit was slain that night, and the Flames of Ul'dah took care of the rest. But as I refuse the child's trinket, I also refuse to recount his father's story- at least, not now.

I knelt upon my Ul'dahn carpet under the shade of the tree, and the children grew quiet. I have been doing this for half a year now, and they know that I will not speak unless everyone can hear. Soon, only the early breeze and the echo of the hawkers can be heard. I took a deep breath, and begun to speak in clear voice:

"The Scions of the Seventh Dawn…"


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: This chapter was inspired by this reddit post: 1n3rpp:) Enjoy~

* * *

"The Scions of the Seventh Dawn are as mysterious as the warriors of light."

The dawn was just breaking, and the reflection of the dawning sun over the La Noscean seas looked spectacular. Some of the children around me shifted closer as a few latecomers tried to push forward. There were about three dozen of them now. However, I'm certain that none of them were alive when the Battle of Cartenau ushered the seventh era. Yet all of them knew of the warriors of light- saviors of Eorzea, legends shrouded by blinding brilliance and wiped from our memories.

"I am.. _was_ one of them.. but I have not met all of the Scions. Lady Y'shtola, yes, and Master Thancred." Several young faces broke into grins as they recognized the names. I'm not the only one who has been telling them stories, it seems- their parents have regaled them with their own tales. "But not everyone. Today I will tell you the story of four heroes whose names we have lost.."

—

Lady Y'shtola gathered us in the camp with the kobold's aetherite. Her eyes were closed, attuning herself to the flow of the aether, as we waited for the other Scions to heed our call. My lance was on my feet, and I was inspecting the materia that was expertly melded into my plate armor.

A cheerful Miqo'te girl in the traditional white cowl of the Conjurer's Guild was the first to arrive. It was obvious that she was more than just a Conjurer- her command of the winds and the earth itself to drive away the Coeurls chasing her proved it. She's a White Mage. Laughing as she ran, as if playing with the big cats, she finally drove them off and entered the light of the camp.

"The Kobolds have finally gathered enough shards?" She asked.

"Yes." I replied as I started to don my armor. She moved to my back and started to help me tighten the clasps. "Titan is awake."

"I wondered what this is about." A voice replied. An Ifrit Egi- an animated essence of the Lord of the Inferno, shined through the path on the other side of the camp. It was not the one who spoke though- the Egi's Summoner was behind it, a small lalafell, who carried a grimoire half as big as he was. "Too bad I have very little information about the Lord of the Crags."

The fourth member of our ragtag group was walking just behind the lalafell- it seems that they knew each other. His white plate armor shone with the brilliant red reflection of the Ifrit's flames, and he wielded a circle targe in his left hand, although his sword was not drawn. I knew immediately that this hyur was trained by the Gladiators of Ul'dah to become a heavily armored guardian.

"We are ready, Lady Y'shtola." The Paladin said somberly.

We needed no introduction- we are Scions, and a Primal has been sighted. There was no questions on what should be done.

Y'shtola opened her eyes, and activated the Kobold's Aetherite.

—

We appeared on top of a high pillar, where a single wrong step and even I would not survive the long fall into the lava beneath us. Titan was about three times taller than the tallest elezen I know, and about as wide as four adult roegadyns side by side. He had a small head with white hair, and a really, really angry expression. He was ready for us.

The Lord of the Crags bellowed a fierce shout, and our Paladin took off, his sword and shield glowing white with holy magics. I felt the familiar protective spells of our White Mage, and I _jumped_- higher than what should be possible for anyone as heavily armored as I am.

I am not without magic myself.

As the primal pivoted to pummel the white knight in front of him, I dropped at his back, lance first, breaking thru his rocky skin. On his flank was a flaming spirit of Ifrit, shrouded in flames, a whirlwind of claws, fangs and horns.

"Mage~! Ready your Medica!" Our Summoner called the shots, frantically scribing in his grimoire as he predicted what our foe will do next. The Miqo'te dutifully dove forward, directly behind the armored hyur, and started the healing spell.

Titan brought both his fists down to the earth, and a huge tremor shook the pillar. The shockwave broke through our protective barriers, but immediately afterwards, a wave of healing magic bloomed from behind the Paladin. I took the chance to pierce through Titan's heavily armored back, legs and arms. The primal reformed his rock armor quickly, but I knew that the damage beneath it did not heal.

We were trying to maneuver around our quarry for a better angle of attack when the primal suddenly crouched- and we felt the earth beneath us answer Titan's call. "Scatter!" The Lalafell called out, and our White Mage dragged the focused paladin from under the primal, healing and protective magics flowing around them.

As if mocking me, the Lord of the Crags _jumped_- higher than what should be possible for a monster as heavily fortified as himself. I cursed and braced myself for impact, but all four of us was almost blown off the platform as the primal dropped from the ceiling. As the four of us got up (the Paladin charging in the front, shield up and shouting oaths), I noticed that the few remaining rocks where we can take cover on top of the pillar was sheared clear off.

Titan threw fist after fist on our armored friend as our Miqo'te threw Curative Magics all around us. The Summoner's Ifrit-Egi was unfazed by the shockwave, but our Summoner looked dazed. I cursed and ran towards the primal, lance in front. My initial thrust glanced Titan's flank, and I continued barreling towards his back. I heard a faint "No! Not there!", just in time as the Titan suddenly pivoted, looked straight at me, and pushed the earth from under me in a focused landslide. My reflexes barely saved me, and I saw the flowing earth, stone and rocks fly off behind me as if fired from a cannon. Our Paladin banged his sword on his shield, cursing loudly, and he successfully distracted titan from continuing his barrage on me.

As I recovered, I saw a glint of topaz embedded in Titan's chest. "Summoner! Titan's Heart is exposed!" I yelled as I focused my energies on my lance and speared through Titan's arm, hitting my mark, and pulling out before the primal's carapace reformed around my weapon. Ifrit-Egi blazed through the gaps of flashing sword and shield, focusing on the fist sized gem on the primal's chest. Titan's chest cracked as the intense heat seared the earthen armor, and I can only imagine the pain our Paladin feels inside his steel plate.

The Lord of the Crags looked at our summoner and bellowed in his direction. The earth rose and rocks slid towards the pillar, powerful and focused, certain to push anyone in its path towards certain death. Fortunately, the small lalafell was as nimble as he looked, and the Titan failed to push him off the pillar. The primal did not let off though- the monster summoned rocks from beneath and above the lalafell as he dodged, and the Lord of the Crags finally caught one of us. I saw the primal's lips curl as it readied to blow our trapped summoner off the pillar, and he would've succeeded if not for our White Mage's timely Esuna, white magic dissolving the earthen bonds.

Some say that Primals have no intellect, no cunning. This may be true on some primals. Titan, however,_learns_. As soon as our White Mage finished casting the unbinding spell, the Lord of the Crags already had both of his arms raised, looking straight at the concentrating Miqo'te. Instead of firing the landslide on the trapped lalafell, the primal was focusing on the scion who had protected and healed us throughout the entire fight.

Titan roared, earth rose, and our White Mage flew backwards, clearing the edge of the pillar and falling to the pit below.

There is no time for us to be distracted, and we continued our assault more carefully. Our Summoner abandoned his predictions and ran behind our Paladin, throwing what meager healing magics he can muster. My arms were shaking and my magic strained as I dropped down, cleaving Titan's Heart, and rolled forwards as the Egi's claws and horns continued its barrage. The primal knew he was winning though, and another focused blast blew off our little lalafell from the pillar as I recovered behind them. I could barely make out the battered hyur dive out of the way from Titan's roar, and as we shared a look of determination as we stood up, alone with Titan between us.

I jumped again, and the Paladin's blade shone brilliantly as he traded blows with Titan. We can both see that the Ifrit-Egi's flames have permanently opened the chest of the primal, and I knew that I can hit the heart easily. As I dropped from above, I successfully smashed my lance into the gem. Titan's Heart shattered into several pieces of yellow-tinged crystals, and the primal's earsplitting roar shook the cavern. I had hoped that by destroying the gem, the primal would be stopped- I did not expect the earth below us to roar with the primal, and burn though our armors with all of nature's fury. It felt as if the raw anger of the stones themselves assaulted us. A blinding white light shone from below, and I found myself battered but alive, encased in magical binding rocks.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw our Paladin slowly look up, but despaired when the Lord of the Crags _also_ started to get up. The hyur's visor turned towards me, pivoted as he stood up and started running, ignoring the raging primal on his heels. His blade shone with holy magics as he leapt for me, and started to bash on my magical binds. Titan, on the other hand, summoned pockets of earth on different parts of the pillar. The ground churned and rose, and through it all the armored hyur struggled to free me from my prison.

Titan drew back with both of his huge arms, and dropped it on our Paladin with a great downward blow. The primal's fists drove the hyur to ground, but not before he broke through my bindings. I immediately soared up in an evasive jump, but as I turned in mid-air, I can see that I am now alone with the Lord of the Crags.

I felt rage flowing in veins as I dropped down. Titan turned towards me, and I can see that he is also bloodied- his earthen armor are no longer reforming around him, with lines of sand-like material flowing off his fists and chest. I bellowed a great shout, and Titan answered with his own roar. I felt our Summoner's intellect guiding my thrust, our Paladin's courage powering my arms, and our White Mage's resolve behind my each step.

"_**Bladedance**_"

I attacked with a fury that our Ifrit-Egi would probably approve of. Whirling thursts and strikes blew the primal's arms wide, exposing his chest to my lance. I can clearly see Titan's surprised face, and I knew that the monster expected me to give up. Clearly it is his first time facing a Scion. I gathered what remains of my magic and my strength and plunged my spear on the primal chest, clear through the titan's body. Brilliant blue light of the aether engulfed us both.

—

I awoke to see the brilliant light of Camp Iron Lake's Aetherite. I can see Lady Y'shtola's back as she tended to a muscular young man with a broken back nearby.. I did not recognize our Paladin without his armor. I saw a lalafell and a miqo'te fussing near them, and I smiled as I drifted back to sleep.

—

"But what are their names?" One of the children asked, not knowing that I just told a story about his father. "Did they survive?" Another asked, a young Miqo'te girl in white robes. But alas, the 9th bell rang, and the children groaned together, for they'd have to wait another week before we'd meet again.

Until next time.


End file.
